Incredible moment as an outdoor instructor and his wife skate across a frozen, translucent lake in Alaska after ‘Ice Window’ forms due to rare weather conditions
- Luc Mehl, an author and outdoor educator with certifications in rapid water and ice rescue instruction, took to the skate with his wife, Sarah Mehl Himstad
- They were able to hit the ice on Rabbit Lake near Anchorage in late October due to a so-called ‘ice window’
- The lake froze over, as is often the case in the region, but an unusually cold and dry season created an almost translucent effect
An Alaskan outdoor teacher and his wife showed off the beauty of a once-in-a-decade “ice window” as they glided along a translucent, solid lake thanks to rare weather conditions.
Luc Mehl, an Alaska native, author and outdoor educator with certifications in rapid water and ice rescue instruction, went skating with his wife, Sarah Mehl Himstad, in late October.
In late October, they were able to reach the ice on Rabbit Lake near Anchorage thanks to a so-called “ice window.”
The lake froze over, as is often the case in the region, but an unusually cold and dry season created an almost translucent effect, allowing people to skate and gaze into the depths of the lake.
From October 23 to 26, Mehl and Himstad captured footage of themselves and others skating across the clear lake, cruising over massive rocks and other aquatic life.
An Alaskan outdoor teacher and his wife showed off the beauty of a once-in-a-decade “ice window” as they glided along a translucent, solid lake thanks to rare weather conditions
The ice window ended after just a week and has since been covered by winter weather.
It hadn’t been seen in ten years, which means Mehl thinks it could be another ten years before they get the next window.
“Given that it took 10 years, you know, maybe longer, for these conditions to occur this year, I think it could be another 10 years before we see something like this again,” Mehl said.
Mehl had never seen anything like it, despite skating on Rabbit Lake for the past 12 years. He said everyone else lacing up their skates should take precautions.
‘Yes, it’s dangerous. And some people actually fell through that week,” Mehl said.
“We all wear ice picks around our necks and it’s not really clear in those videos, but they’re basically just handles with points on them and those points give you grip if you break through the ice and have to climb out,” he added.
Luc Mehl (left), Alaska native, author and outdoor educator with certifications in rapid water and ice rescue instruction, went ice skating with his wife Sarah Mehl Himstad (right) in late October
They were able to hit the ice on Rabbit Lake near Anchorage in late October due to a so-called ‘ice window’
The lake froze over, as is often the case in the region, but an unusually cold and dry season created an almost translucent effect, allowing you to skate and gaze into the depths of the lake
If someone was in trouble, Mehl or someone else could throw him or her a rope and lead him to safety.
In an Instagram post, Mehl said he and his wife decided to document the sight to pay tribute to their home state.
‘Another love letter to Alaska. We are so grateful for the opportunity to live here and for the indigenous and then-wildlife management that has preserved these wild places,” he wrote.
“We both grew up in Alaska and can’t imagine living anywhere else.”